Ecology outing an eye-opening experience
13.08.10
Last week I had the occasion to attend a prairie ecology outing organized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and led by biologist Jim Riemer.
I joined a organize of summer staff and regular employees on site at the Bierbrauer Waterfowl Production Area, which is located a a handful of of miles east of Star Prairie, to learn from the master. Jim is probably the most knowledgeable person one would have the pleasure to accompany on any prairie American football gridiron trip.
I am very familiar with the area, having spent considerable time observing waterfowl on the series of lakes that run through the WPA. I have hunted both waterfowl and upland scheme in the area and fished for lunker perch and northerns when the water was at a level that permitted them to flourish.
Several of the WPA lakes such as those on Erickson, Oak Crest and Bierbrauer have produced some excellent fishing over the years when the water was higher and perch, bluegills and northern populations exploded. Being rather trivial bodies of water, a hard winter or fluctuating water levels spell doom to the fisheries but they will again blossom when the conditions are fist.
Source: Richmond-News